Oven door



W. J. KIRBY Nov. 1, 1932.

SVEN DOOR Filed out. 15. 1931 v INVENTOR William JH? 35 the inner side of Patented Nov. 1 1932 l' WILLIAM J". KIRIY, OF SOMCERVILLE, NEW' JERSEY A j OVEN noon y Appncatipn sied october VV15, 1931'. serial No. 563,907.

My present invention relates'to door structure and more particularly,to doors adapted for use with gas stoves, for example, with the ovens of such stoves.

`5 An important `object of the invention provide a door having strength and rigidity comparable to that of a cast metal door combined with lightness, and non-conducting quality; also to have the exterior and interior surfaces formed by sheet metal panels that may be separately provided with enamel or other sanitary finish. Preferably the exterior is adapted toV be set approximately flush with the front of the stove, as is desir? able in thoseof the cabinet type; Preferably, the door is adapted to be hinged along the bottom edge and provided withstops for holding it at horizontal, in which'position the smooth, flat interior surface is exposed upward like a shelf.. Preferably, the panels are secured to the frame by tension members utilizing the spring quality of thel panels to hold them against adjacent thrust surfaces on the frame; and preferably each tension member extends from one panel to the other without engaging the` frame.4

Other features andv advantages will appear upon consideration of the following description and of the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door embodying the present invention;I` v I j Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;v j

Fig..3 is a View in elevation looking at the door, parts being broken away to show'the underlying structure;

Figs. 4l and 5 are enlarged detail views,

showing one Vof the fastening devices,y in vsection and in'perspective, respectively. 'v In the drawing the deviceis shown as comprising a main door element which is preferably an integral casting of iron or steel, em. bodying in skeleton form all the operating parts of a complete door, including thel peripheral internally projecting flange or frame member 10, the marginal orstop flange 11, the hinge knuckles 12 and preferably also lugs 13, by which the opening movement of the door is limited. The area within the marginal frame or fl-ange'is formed with is to suitable bracing elements'of relatively small area, which mrayinclude a diametric horizontalv memberlll, vertical member lyand corner braces as 16,117. ,Where the members li and'15 are'cast integral with the frame,

they are preferably widened toward the ends, as at18, 18, 19, Fig. 3, so as to afford a relatively long and strong base of union with the frame. Y

, They bracing members have their'outer faces located in the same plane with the outer sur# faces of the peripheral flanges 11, so as to form a flat solid bed forthe planesheet metal panel 20- which forms the' outer surface of the door. .The panel 2O is preferably inset in the marginal flange 11, as at 21, and preferably the inset is well outtoward thei'margin of said flange 11 soas to leave 'a relatively narrow framing bead v22. i

By this construction the bead'holdspthe panel 20 against slip or twist, in addition to the advantages of the continuous plane exterior surface, asconcerns appearance and cleanliness. A

The interior panel 23 also of suitably fin# ished enamel, heavy rolled sheet metal, is spaced apart a substantial distance from panel 2O and also from thev inner surface of the skeletonmember 14, 15, so as to leave a substantialr heat insulating air space 24. Preferably, this inner panel 23 is inset flush with y the'top lof the internally projecting frame member 10. kThe inner panel'is bedded on suitably .distributed thrust' lugs 25, of small area, `and having their panel engaging surfaces inl substantially the same plane. v

While itis obvious that panels 2O and 23 may be clamped against their respectivev bedV surfaces, eachfby a separate set of securing means such as screws, bolts orthe like, an important feature of the invention includes special features ofthe securing means which I employ. One importantfeature isv that the securing means for the inner panel k23 consists of tension members engaging and tensioning said'panel23 at points adjacent but substantially removed 'from each of its supporting thrust lugs 25v so that the springiness of'panel 23 is available to maintain a tight clamping engagement ofthe panel against its periphery of panel 20, I prefer, in the case of panel 23 to support its periphery against thrust by providing it with a marginal inturned flange 24. This serves to stiffen it and preferably the inner faces of eppositely pre-k sented portions of flare outwardly so that the flange 24: may have a wedging engage ment with said surface. It results that expansion is permitted without any possibility of lateral displacement of the panel 23.

Another feature of the securing means for panel 23 is that it consists of a tensionmember which engages the other panel 20, so that the two panels are held by a single set of tension members having no engagement with the casting. The casting is cut away to afford very substantial clearance, as at 26. t results that while most of the spring yield required for firm spring clamping of the panels is afforded by panel 23, the strain of panel 20, though much more positive, nevertheless has a substantial margin of spring yield. The result is that the panel is held flatly and rigidly against the extensive surfaces of its skeletonized bed more firmly and with less spring yield than at the panel 23.

A further feature of the securing means is that the tension members are blind fastened to the inner surface of panel 20, the exposed ends being those that pass through panel 23. A very effective but inexpensive means for the anchorage consists of stamped metal fittings comprising wings 27, which may be spot welded to the inner surface of panel 23, formed with a recessed boss 28, slotted as at 29 and adapted to receive a nut element 30, preferably forming the head of a screw sleeve 3l, projecting upward through slot 29 and into which screws a bolt member 32, the head 33 of which engages the outer surface of panel 23. It will be noted that there is ample space betweentheinnersurfaceof panel 23 and also between the end of screw shank 32 and the inner surface of panel 20, so that there is always ample margin for tightening the screw to apply proper spring tension to panels 20` and 23. The casting member 19 and the Outer panel 2O have registering openings 35, 35a and 36, 3666, the former pair being for the shank of a door handle (not shown) and the latter pair for a lug to prevent turning of the handle about its axis. The holes 35, 36 flare outwardly to much larger diameter than ai the holes 350;, 36a, thereby leaving a substantial margin of the latter free to spring inwardly, when clamped. The lugs 33 at the upper edge of the door are flush with the tops of the inwardly projecting frame member 10, and the inner panel is cut away adjacent these lugs, the latter forming the cooperating member for a spring latch to hold the door closed.

I claim:

l. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members.

2. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against. the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame. y

3. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in` skeleton form the operating essentials of a'door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame, each tension member including a screw element blind` fastened to the inner surfaces of the outer panel.

4a A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame, each tension member including a screw element blind fastened to the inner surfaces of the outer panel andy engaging the outer surface of the inner panel.

5. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame, the support face for the outer panel including relatively large area, substantially plane outer surfaces presented by the skeleton frame.

6. A door including a relatively thick rigid metall frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame, the support face fo-r the outer panel including relatively large area, substantially plane outer surfaces presented by the skeleton frame and which are surrounded by an outer bead of a height substantially equal to the thickness of the panel.

7. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal'fframe formed to embody in'skelet'on formthe operatingk essentials of a door, in combination-with'outer and inner slieet'metal panels secured against the. outer and inner faces of said Vframe by transverselyextending tension members which do not engage the frame, the support face for the outer panel including relatively large area, substantially plane outer surfaces presented by the skele ton frame, and the support for the inner panel including projections having relatively small area, widely distributed surfaces for supporting said panel in a plane substantially parallel with the outer panel.

8. A door including a relatively thick rigid metal frame formed to embody in skeleton form the operating essentials of a door, in combination with outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of said frame by transversely extending tension members which do not engage the frame, the support face for the outer panel including relatively large area, substantially plane outer surfaces presented by the skeleton frame, and the support for the inner panel including projections having relatively small area, widely distributed surfaces. for supporting said panel in a plane substantially parallel with the outer panelV and located near but a substantial distance from the screw tension members.

9. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door with bracing members across the corners and from side to side thereof outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner facesV of the casting.

10. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door with bracing members across the corners and from side to side thereof outer and .inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of the casting, the one panel being inset in and substantially fitting surrounding elements of the frame.

11. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door with bracing members across the-corners and from side to side thereof outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces of the casting, both panels being inset in and substantially fitting surrounding elements of the frame.

12. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door with bracing members across the corners and from side to side thereof outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and inner faces ofthe casting, the securing means including cooperating screw elements whereby the outer and inner panels may be spring tensioned toward each other, with the casting between them.

13. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door inner face of the outer panel for blind fastening the same. v

14e. Adoor including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door with bracingimembers across the corners and from side to side thereof outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outer and'inner faces of the casting, the securing means including a fitting spot welded to the inner surface of the outer panel and provided with'a bosshavinga raised, open slot.

15. A door including a steel casting formed to embody the peripheral portions of a door withbracing members across the corners and from side to side thereof outer and inner sheet metal panels secured against the outerV and linner faces of the casting, the securing means including a fitting spot welded to the inner surface of the outer panel and providedwith a boss having araised, open slot and a squared screw member, non-rotatably fltting said'boss.

l16. A door of the class described includ-` ing a front panel, a rear panel, a metal frame having -a flat marginal portion provided at its outer side with a continuous projection within which the front panel fits and at its inner side with a continuousprojection with'- in whichrthe rear panel fits, said frameL also including members 'extending inwardly from the marginal portion to support the front panel and studs extending rearwardly Vto support the rear panel, and .means to secure the. panelsto the frame including parts connected with theinner face of the front panel and partsv cooperating with the rear panel and adapted to cooperate with the' parts connected with the inner face of the front panel.

17. AA door of the class described including a metal-frame having a flat marginal portion provid-ed at its outer side and outer edge with a rib and at its inner side with a flange spaced fromitsinner edge, said frame also having parts within saidmarginal portion rwith their outer sides in the same plane as the outer side ofl saidma'rginal` portion and said parts within said marginal portion having at a plurality of positions inwardly projecting studs and adjacent openings, a fiat front panel engaging thejouterside of said marginal portion and fitting against the rib at said outer side, a rear panel engaging said studs and having bent back edge portions engaging the inner sides of said flange and with their edges opposite the part of said marginal portion at the inner side of said flange, said rear panel having openings opposite said openings in said frame, nuts connected with the inner side of said front panel opposite said openings inthe frame, and screws passing through corresponding openings in the rear panel and frame and cooperating with said nuts to hold the front and rear panels on said flange.

18. A door of the class described, comprising a flat front panel, a rear panel, a metal frame having a fiat marginal portion provided at its inner side with a flange Within the outer edge of which the rear panel fits, said frame also including parts extending inwardly from said marginal portion and supporting the front panel at points in the plane of the front of said marginal portion and the rear panel at points spaced rearwardly from the rear face of said marginal portion a distance substantially yequal to the difference between the height of the flange and the thickness of the rear panel, and means to secure the panels to the frame including fastening devices extending through said frame adjacent points where both front and rear panels are supported, said fastening devices being attached te the inner face of the outer panel and passing through the rear panel.

19. A door of the class described' including a metal frame having a flat marginal portion provided at its inner side with a flange adjacent its inner edge and having an inclined inner face, said frame also having parts within said marginal portion extending to the plane of the outer side of said marginal portion und rearwardly to ak plane just to the front of the plane of the top of said flange. a front panel engaging the front face of said marginal portion and said parts within the space .enclosed thereby, a rear panel supported bv said parts within the marginal portion of the frame with the face of the panel at the inner side of the door substantially flush with the top of the flange, said rear panel having bent back edge portions to enthe inclined' side of said flange, and means connected with the inner side of said front panel. and with said rear panel for drawing them together and holding them in position on the frame.

20. A door of the class described including a nieta-l ytrame having a flat marginal portion provided at its inner side with a flange extending around the same, said frame also having supporting parts within said marginal portion with outer sides in the same plane as the outer side of said marginal portion and with spacers extending to a plane just to the front of the plane of the top of the flange,`a front panel engaging the front of the frame, a rear panel engaging the spacers and the inner side of the flange. and fastening devices extending through said frame adjacent said spacers and including screws passing through the rear panel, nuts cooperating with said screws and having square heads and tubular central extensions through which the screws are inserted. and nut-holding clips secured to theinner face of the front panel, each of wILLiAM J. KIRBY. 

